Why bother?

A church on this site has played an important part in Cromarty life for over 700 years; it’s medieval origin has been proven during conservation work on the church. The archaeological investigation of the inside of the church found that it was filled with burials. In addition two medieval, probably 15th Century grave-slabs have been uncovered - one of which sliced longitudinally looks to have been used as a step up to the altar. These finds would seem to confirm that the small storage space at the east end was an aumbry,  which was used for storing the vessels for mass in the pre- reformation (pre 1560) Roman Catholic church.

The East Church is remarkable in that many of the alterations that have taken place over the centuries are still visible today and is Grade A listed for its historic importance.

Damp was the cause of many of the structural problems faced by the East Church. The cement harling (render) made matters worse by trapping moisture in the church. Without tackling these problems any repairs to the church would only have lasted a short time before the building started to decay again.

A look at the worksite and news pages will reveal all the conservation work that has been undertaken to ensure that the building survives for many centuries to come.